Tip: Cheap iPad Stand

post from TheAppleBlog on 18 March 2010 12:45:00 PM. © TheAppleBlog

It is said, necessity is the mother of invention. While eagerly awaiting my iPad to arrive — is it April 3 yet? Pleaaaaase? — I had a stream of consciousness that went something like this: I like baseball; the iPad is a decent size to watch a streaming game on MLB’s iPhone app while I’m playing World of Warcraft, or working, or, well, whom am I kidding, playing WoW. The Apple dock, while in addition to being a $30 hunk of plastic, only props up the iPad in portrait mode; it’s a little hard to watch the game that way.

I looked up and noticed my paper stand I use for making changes to copy I’ve marked up. “Self.” I said to myself. “I betcha that’d hold an iPad real well.” After a quick screen capture, some resizing and printing, I had an iPad mockup to test with.

It fit wonderfully. In both dimensions. The stand costs about $10 at your local office supply store. As a bonus, it folds up flat so I can toss it and my bluetooth keyboard into my manpurse carry bag. It’ll be fantastic for working on-the-go. Of course, I may need a shock-resistant case for the thing if Papelbon coughs up a lead in the playoffs again. Not that I’m bitter about that.

How about you guys? Any low-cost solutions you’ve found?